27-yr.-old fake dentist arrested in Tuguegarao City

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan — A 27-year-old woman posing as a fake dentist was arrested after she was caught illegally offering dental services during an entrapment operation in Cagayan recently.

According to the Cagayan Public Information Office, the operation was led by Police Colonel (PCOL) Efren L. Fernandez II of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU 2) on December 3, 2025, after they received a report that the woman had been sending messages to potential clients online, offering dental services such as installing braces without the necessary credentials.

To confirm the illegal activity, one of the unit’s personnel posed as a patient and transacted with the suspect for the supposed brace installation until she agreed to meet in Tuguegarao City.

Once the woman began performing the orthodontic procedure at the meeting place, police officers immediately moved in and asked for her license, which she failed to present, leading to her arrest.

Authorities, according to the CPIO, seized various dental tools and equipment from the suspect, along with the mobile phone she used to communicate with her victims and the undercover officer.

The fake dentist, whose name was not disclosed, was brought to the City Prosecutor’s Office for inquest proceedings and was later detained at the Tuguegarao City Component Police Station.

The suspect was charged with violating Republic Act No. 9484, otherwise known as the Philippine Dental Act of 2007, and RA 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, as she used online platforms to advertise her services and target victims.

This year alone, Philippine authorities have arrested numerous individuals across the country for practicing dentistry without a license, as reflected in various reports from agencies such as the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, which continues to pursue these illegal activities.